


Brave Shine

by DarkAngelBK201



Category: Digimon - All Media Types, Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Genre: Angst, Blood, Gratuitous amounts of teen angst, M/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Teen Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-26 18:26:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10792245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkAngelBK201/pseuds/DarkAngelBK201
Summary: Perhaps he could have been a little less abrupt about the whole thing…but in his defense, he hadn’t really expected the whole thing to blow up in his face. Quite literally.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Soo one of my friends has been talking to me about Digimon lately and well, we got to how we wanted to see Daisuke bleed. And she inspired me to write this. There's mild spoilers for tri, but nothing major.

“I’m in love with you!”

The words, yelled over the dulled roar of the small crowd, were met with a sudden tense silence, conversations trailing off as wide eyes flicked over to the speaker in shock. Daisuke stood opposite Ken, his hands balled into fists at his sides, cheeks flushed a vivid red. But his eyes were shining, their bright gold practically glowing with anticipation. As the silence wore on, that hope began to dim, the embarrassed smile fading slowly from Daisuke’s face. Ken could only stare at Daisuke, his face blanched to a stark white. A wide flurry of emotions swept across his face before they all winked out entirely. His cheeks beginning to color, his eyes squeezed shut and he ducked his head down, his hair curtaining across his face.

They were at Taichi’s apartment for a small get together among the Japanese Chosen and Daisuke had decided that this would be the _perfect_ moment to confess the feelings that had been brewing in him for months now. He hadn’t been able to shut up about Ken, hadn’t been able to keep his thoughts off of the perfection that was his best friend. So he’d decided to act. What could go wrong? Surely, Ken felt the same way. Miyako told him as much, and Miyako was _never_ wrong about stuff like this.

“How could you say that, Daisuke?!” Ken snapped, his shoulders trembling. Daisuke was frozen at the outburst, the smile slipping from his face entirely. His eyes widened, their gold shadowed with disbelief and pain, and he flinched back as if struck. Ken’s head jerked up, his panicked eyes flicking around as if just realizing the crowd that had gathered around them, all watching, all waiting. Swallowing harshly, Ken ducked his head once more, this time in a polite bow. “I-I’m sorry, I have to go.” And without another word, Ken rushed out, leaving a stricken Daisuke behind.

At first there was only silence, the gathering of chosen children sharing awkward glances and gazing sympathetically at the boy that had been left behind. Then, someone cleared their throat loudly, pointedly turning away. Conversations resumed slowly and awkwardly at that point, the room filling with murmured words once more. Daisuke remained where he was, his shoulders bunching up as his eyes remained locked on the floor. His eyes burned with embarrassed tears, regret landing like a rock in his stomach. He didn’t react when an arm landed over his shoulders, someone falling into place at his side.

“I think you scared him, dude,” Taichi’s warm voice stated good-naturedly, his arm tightening a fraction around his despondent protégé. Daisuke sucked in a slow breath, tensing a little at the comment. Taichi nudged his head a little with his, smiling gently. “But don’t sweat it. I think he’ll come around. Ken’s…just a little shy is all. Give him some time to think about this, alright? Things will turn out alright.” Daisuke lifted his head slowly, the heartbreak in his expression making Taichi’s heart ache. His throat bobbed visibly as he swallowed harshly, the emotion slowly leeching from his face.

“I…messed up, didn’t I? I should have thought about this more,” Daisuke whispered, slumping a little in Taichi’s grasp. Taichi glanced towards the exit, sighing.

“I wouldn’t say you messed up. More like…you found a way not to confess your feelings?” Taichi shook his head, frowning slightly. “But either way, Daisuke, it wasn’t the worst way to do it. I just think Ken was a little surprised. It was a little sudden.” Daisuke stiffened, his head tilting down. Auburn bangs dropped over his eyes, his lips trembling. “Daisuke?”

“Sorry. But I think I need to be alone for a little while,” Daisuke said, his voice soft and weary. He stepped away from Taichi, stepping forward and into the crowd. People parted for him with ease and he strode right through without glancing up, his hands shoved into his pockets and his shoulders hunched. Taichi watched him go, sighing quietly. He carded a hand through his hair, his lips pulled into a frown.

“Think he’ll be okay?” Yamato asked, moving to stand beside him. Taichi glanced at him and then back at where Daisuke had left, shrugging.

 “Not sure. But it’s Daisuke. I’m sure he’ll pull himself together in no time. Just gotta…let him be for a bit.” Yamato laughed, clapping Taichi on the shoulder.

“You’ve grown up a bit, you know that?”

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“Nothing, nothing…oh fearless leader.”

* * *

The door to the apartment opened quickly and slammed shut, the walls shuddering from the force of the impact. Daisuke merely grumbled incomprehensibly under his breath, beginning to stomp angrily towards his door. His shoulders hunched, his hands were still shoved deep into his pockets, shadows crossing over his expression. His eyes were hidden by shaggy bangs, a dark scowl cutting deeply across his features. The door next to his bedroom cracked open, Jun sticking her head out curiously. Without even paying her a glance, he opened his own door and forced it shut behind him, ignoring the concerned stare he could feel aimed right at him.

His room was dark, the curtains drawn over the far window. He’d forgotten to open them this morning in his rush to leave, excited butterflies tickling his stomach. Jun had teased him as he left, calling for him to not come back until he had a boyfriend. Daisuke sucked in a shaking breath, his jaw clenching at the memory. A single tear traced down his cheek, one hand lifting to angrily scrape it away. Sighing, he walked towards his bed, letting himself fall face-first onto its plush surface. His arms encircled his head, fingers digging into the blankets draped haphazardly over the bed’s surface.

A soft knock sounded at the door, Daisuke’s shoulders tensing at the sound. “Go away, Jun,” he called, his voice rough. Silence followed his words, allowing the dark cloud that had settled over him to darken further. But then she knocked again.

“Are you alright, Daisuke?” Jun asked, her voice muffled by the door between them. “Would you like to talk about what happened?” Daisuke huffed at the question, his eyes squeezing shut. No, he didn’t want to talk. Couldn’t she just leave him alone to suffer by himself? His friends would. They understood. “Daisuke?” Growling, he pushed himself off the bed and stalked back over the door, throwing it open to glare at his older sister.

“What?!” he snarled at her, watching the hurt flicker across her expression before she frowned at him. “Can’t you tell that I want to be alone, Jun? So just leave me alone!” His eyes, red and damp, were narrowed, his golden irises etched with a deep pain. Jun frowned, her hands twitching before curling into fists. Her head turned sharply to the side, her eyes closing.

“I just wanted to check on you and see if you wanted to talk, but if you’re going to be rude then I’m just going to let you suffer! I see this is all that I get for trying to help my little brother out!” Daisuke winced at her words, his hand tightening around his door. Turning on her heel, she stomped away, Daisuke flinching at the slam of her own door. He sighed softly, closing his own door once more. Maybe…maybe he had been a little too harsh… Walking back to his bed, he shook his head, his expression softening some.

_“Why…why would you say something like that?!”_

Groaning softly, he planted his face into his pillows. Goddammit…He’s such a fucking idiot. Who just puts someone on the spot like that? Him, apparently. His hand dug into his pocket, pulling his D-Terminal out. Flicking it open, he glanced through the notifications as he rolled onto his back. Nothing was highlighted, no messages waiting for him to read. The device snapped shut with an audible click, his eyes shutting briefly. It creaked as his hand tightened around it, resisting the urge to just throw it across the room.

No messages… Not that he blamed Ken for not sending any… He probably ruined everything between them today…even their friendship. And he had no one to blame except for himself and his complete lack of tact.

“Daisuke?” a young voice mumbled sleepily, drawing golden eyes up to the pillow beside his head. Chibimon blinked back at him, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “You’re back early, Daisuke. Is something wrong? You were so excited leaving today. Did everything go like you wanted it to? Where’s Ken?” Daisuke’s eyes burned at the rapid-fire questions, Chibimon’s enthusiasm starting to bleed through his sleepiness. Not that he blamed the little guy. He’d get hyper too if he was stuck in a room all day.

Daisuke reached up and pulled Chibimon down off the pillow, cradling the small digimon to his chest. His head tilted down, pressing his forehead to the top of Chibimon’s head. He took a deep breath before releasing it slowly, trying to relieve that empty ache that had lodged in his chest since Ken had ran out. “Ken…Ken may not be coming by for a little bit, Chibimon. Sorry… I’ll try to fix it if I can,” he whispered.

“Oh...Is Ken alright? Should we go over there to see if he needs a friend?” Round, red eyes gazed up at him, blinking innocently up at him. Daisuke’s shoulders began to tremble a little, a hard lump forming in his throat.

“No, Chibimon. Ken…needs to be alone for a bit. Sorry, buddy. No playdates with Wormmon for a little bit.”

“Is something wrong, Daisuke?” Daisuke’s eyes flick down to Chibimon, finding an unwavering stare meeting his gaze. Huffing, Chibimon wiggled up, nudging Daisuke with his head. “Daisuke, I’m here if you need someone to talk to. I just want to help.” Daisuke looked away, his grip tightening on the small form.

“I-I know, Chibimon. But…not right now, okay? Right now, I just want to sleep. We can talk about it later. I promise.” The digimon studied him, those bright eyes narrowing a little before a sigh left him.

“Alright. We’ll talk later then! You promised!” Laughing, Chibimon snuggled down into Daisuke’s chest, practically purring in contentment. “Nap time with Daisuke!” Daisuke laughed, a smile tugging at his lips.

“Alright, alright. Nap time. Let’s both get some rest.” At his digimon’s grunt of approval, Daisuke rested his head more comfortably on the pillow, releasing a quiet sigh.

Maybe things would seem better after a quick nap…

* * *

Hikari picked at her breakfast, staring blankly down at it. Her lips pulled into a frown, she glanced up, her mouth opened as if to speak. Taichi sat across from her, loudly shoveling down his food. Her mouth closed slowly, her frown flattening in annoyance. Bits of food flew through the air, one landing on her forehead. Her eyebrow twitching, she dropped her hands to the table, scowling at her brother. “Taichi, if you actually woke up on time, you wouldn’t have to rush through breakfast in the morning,” she all but growled, her finger tapping on the table. Taichi looked up at her, his cheeks full of food. Blinking, he swallowed down what was in his mouth before smiling.

“Ah, don’t worry about it, Hikari. A little bit of rushing around is good for the soul. Keeps me on my toes,” he responded good-naturedly, waving a single finger around. Hikari just rolled her eyes again, pushing away her plate. Laughing, he rocked back in his chair, grinning widely. “Aw, come on. Don’t be like that.” She stood, the chair scraping on the kitchen floor.

“Yea, yea. I’m gonna go finish getting ready for school. You know, so I won’t be late.” Running a quick hand through her hair, she shook her head before walking towards her room to pack her bag. The sun was beginning to filter in through the windows of the apartment, a single beam shining into the living room. Hikari paused, her gaze softening as she stared at the single spot. Her D-Terminal burned in her pocket, still as silent as it had been last night.

“Hey…Hikari. Has he responded yet?” Her hand moved to rest over her pocket, fingers fisting in the cloth. She took a slow breath, her eyes closing. Her hand slowly relaxed, dropping once more to her side. Shaking her head, she stared at the sunlit spot once more.

“No… I messaged him last night, but he hasn’t responded. He hasn’t contacted anyone, Taichi. I know he’s upset…but this has me worried… He’s never…not talked to us.” Taichi’s lips twisted in thought, brown eyes staring down at his decimated breakfast. Drumming his fingers on the table, he considered his options. Finally, he sighed, pushing his chair away from the table and standing.

“Alright… I’ll talk to him after practice today. See if I can get him to open up a little bit.” Hikari turned, her eyes wide and hopeful. Taichi smiled at her, ruffling her hair as he walked by. “Don’t worry, little sis. I’ll take care of it.”

“Just…don’t overdo it, Taichi. He’s a little more sensitive than he likes to admit.” He laughed, his hand dropping away from her head.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it covered. Things will be back to normal soon.”

* * *

Daisuke shoved his shoes into his gym bag, which laid open on the bench beside his locker. Still clad in a loose pair of exercise shorts, he was working on removing his sweat-laden shirt, the fabric clinging to his damp skin and proving to make the task as difficult as possible. Finally, the shirt slipped over his head, it too being thrown into his bag. His teammates kept shooting him looks, ranging from varied levels of concern to outright annoyance. They knew something was up, he knew they did, but nobody confronted him at least. He swung open his locker, sticking a hand in to shuffle through the mess to find his street clothes.

A shadow fell over him, the lockers clanging as someone leaned up against them. His lips pressed together, Daisuke ignored the newcomer, instead continuing to rummage through his things. Something flashed in the corner of his eyes, the familiar shade of blue bringing a groan to his lips. Turning slowly, he scowled at Taichi, his arms crossing over his bare chest. Taichi merely grinned at him, Daisuke’s shirt clutched in one of his hands. “You have Hikari worried,” Taichi informed him cheerfully, holding the shirt out for him on one finger. Daisuke grunted and yanked it from him, turning back to his locker.

“Well she could have come to talk to me herself,” Daisuke responded, tugging a towel from the bottom of the cubicle. Taichi sighed, watching as Daisuke slipped off his goggles to begin towel drying his hair.

“She would have, but it seems you’ve been avoiding her like the plague. Hell, you’ve been avoiding everyone like the plague.”

“Well, if they just left me alone, I wouldn’t be ignoring them.” Taichi tore his eyes away from Daisuke, instead looking up at the ceiling. His lips twisting into a frown, he allowed silence to fall between them for a moment. Finally, he glanced down at him again, brown eyes dark with understanding.

“You gotta talk about it eventually, Daisuke.” Throwing his towel back into the locker, Daisuke slammed it shut, his jaw clenched. His eyes slipped over to Taichi, narrowed to slits. His muscles were tense, their slight tremble masked by anger.

“And what if I don’t want to talk about it?” The words were snarled out, golden eyes burning in a molten glare. They stared at each other for several long, tense moments before Daisuke huffed and turned away, his eyes closing. “Look…Thanks for the worry, but I don’t need it. I’m fine. I’ll talk to everyone later.” Taichi hummed, shaking his head.

“See, that would have fooled someone else, Daisuke, but not me. There is a reason you’re called my little clone sometimes.” Releasing a long sigh, Taichi smiled. “But…I’ll let it go for now. Wouldn’t want you to get suspended from the team for jumping the old captain.” The tension drained slowly from Daisuke, his expression softening as his anger cooled. Taichi lifted a finger though, still smiling. “But! I do have another reason for being here.” Daisuke turned to lean up against the locker himself, the metal cool against his still damp flesh.

“Oh?” he questioned, raising a curious eyebrow. “And that would be?”

“Koushiro messaged me last night. There’s apparently been some strange signals coming from the digital world.”

“Ah. So when are you guys heading out?” Taichi chuckled, reaching up to ruffle Daisuke’s hair. The pout on Daisuke’s face only made him laugh harder.

“ _We’re_ not heading out. I think you and your team should take this one. Koushiro wasn’t too worried about the signals, but they are worth looking into. Plus, we’ve had you guys benched for too long. Use this as a time to stretch your legs. And who knows, maybe you’ll get a chance to beat up some stuff.” Crouching by the bench, Daisuke dug through his bag, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. He produced his D-Terminal, flicking it open and clicking around for a second.

“Got it. We won’t let you down, Taichi.” Taichi snorted, but his expression softened some.

“You guys never do. Just be safe, okay?”

* * *

The digital world was pathed in the pale orange of a sun just beginning to set, lengthening shadows stretching towards the group of children just beginning to sort themselves out. The buzz of insects saturated the air, soothing in its nature. A gentle wind blew through the rustling leaves of the forest before them, cool air tousling their hair. Daisuke sighed, staring into the depths of the trees, before turning towards his group, a small smile forced onto his face. Nobody bought it, but it made him feel better at least. His eyes flicked to each of his group, mentally assessing them before moving on. His eyes hesitated on Ken, surprise flickering briefly across his face.

Then, Ken looked away.

"Alright everyone,” he began, sighing heavily. “Koushiro set us down in the spot closest to whatever signal he’s talking about. It’s our job to check it out and tell him what’s up.” At the nods he received, he nodded in return, smirking confidently. “This’ll be easy. We should all be back well before dinner time. So let’s move!” He punched the air, turning and beginning to run into the forest. The others followed in suit, albeit a little hesitantly.

Daisuke’s smile faded the moment he turned around, the enthusiasm fading from his eyes. His thoughts were focused on that image of Ken from a few minutes ago, remembering the way the soft light danced from his hair, the way his skin practically glowed. He also remembered the bags beneath his eyes and the deadened look to his normally sparkling blue eyes, Daisuke’s heart sinking at the memory. His hands curled into tight fists, his lips pressing together.

Dammit…

This was going to be one long mission for him at least.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so before I get into this, I forgot to mention ages. 
> 
> Daisuke, Ken, Takeru, and Hikari are 15. I am far too lazy to calculate it for anyone else, but the same canon age gaps apply. 
> 
> Enjoy~

The trees rose up around them, their outstretching branches all but blocking out their view of the sky. The sun faded as they walked deeper into the forest, a muted darkness closing in around the small group. Their feet crunched the brush with slow footsteps, the only sound in the silence that had fallen amongst them. The moment Daisuke had turned his back to rush ahead, those that remained shared a few awkward glances before shaking their heads and following without argument.

Ken had hung back, watching everyone pull ahead of him. Then, his head dropped, his hands curling into trembling fists. He sucked in a slow breath and released it just as slowly, his eyes closing. Wormmon pressed in closer, rubbing at his ankles. He didn’t ask, he didn’t need to. Ken had spoken at length about what had happened a few days prior. After a few minutes, Wormmon moved again, large eyes blinking towards the direction the group had gone towards. “Maybe we should catch up, Ken…” he suggested, turning his head to look up at his partner. Ken’s eyes drifted open, smiling wearily down at Wormmon. He crouched down, running a hand down the digimon’s back.

“Yea, we probably should…Let’s get going then,” he agreed softly. Standing once more, he pulled Wormmon into his arms and began to walk into the forest to join his friends. His pace slow, but steady, he followed the others that had rushed before him, ignoring the brief flashes of warmth when the sun splashed across his body through the spaces between the intertwining branches above. Wormmon was silent in his arms, moving every now and then to glance up at Ken. Ken’s eyes, dark and tired, stared ahead of him, shadowed with bags that only darkened with every passing night. His thoughts began to wander, the image of Daisuke staring at him before running off drifting through his mind.

He’d seemed so…defeated. His eyes, their bright gold normally sparkling with life, had dulled to the likeness of beaten bronze. His shoulders had trembled, struggling to keep upright. The curve of his mouth which was usually pulled taut with an easy-going grin, had seemed fake almost, forced if Ken were to guess. Daisuke had been struggling to hide something, but as to what, Ken couldn’t even begin to guess. After all…it was Daisuke who’d decided to yell… _that_ …at him in front of every single one of their friends.

Ken’s grip tightened around Wormmon, biting down on his lower lip at the memory.

Daisuke had to have found out about his feelings for him and decided to tease him about them…That was the only explanation that he could come up with that made any sort of sense. There was no way that Daisuke actually felt the same about him. And…Ken hadn’t wanted to jeopardize their friendship by speaking about these…ridiculous emotions. So he’d kept quiet, cherishing the moments he had Daisuke shared in the privacy of his own thoughts. But then Daisuke had…

Ken sighed, shaking his head as if to rid himself of these thoughts. He knew he and Daisuke would have to talk eventually, but…after seeing him today…perhaps it was best to wait. He didn’t want either of them to lose their temper and ruin anything.

A crack in the quiet woods jerked him away from his thoughts, Ken glancing up. He paused, blinking at the source of the noise in confusion. Takeru leaned up against a tree, eyes closed and Patamon perched atop his head. His arms crossed over his chest, fingers tapping idly on his shirt sleeve. “Takeru…” Ken whispered. Takeru’s eyes opened and turned to look at him, their bright blue etched with concern. “Ah, sorry. I wasn’t in the mood to rush around today, so I’ll meet you guys there. No need…” Ken trailed off at Takeru’s expression, taken aback by the seriousness that met his gaze.

“Are you alright, Ken?” Takeru asked slowly, staring at Ken with an intensity that made Ken uncomfortable. Ken dropped his eyes, shifting his weight. Those eyes…It was almost like they looked right through him…

“I-I’m fine, Takeru. No need to worry.” The smile that stretched across his face felt fake, as if it had been painted on. Takeru huffed, his frown deepening as he looked at Ken.

“You and Daisuke are full of shit, you know that? Both of you, insisting that you’re fine while obviously forcing smiles on your face for the rest of us. It’s stupid! We want to know if you guys are hurting! We want to help! But both you…just keep pushing us away. I expected as much from Daisuke…but not from you, Ken.” Ken flinched, ignoring the worried titter from Wormmon.

“Sorry… But I really am fine, Takeru. Just…haven’t been sleeping well is all.” Ken resumed walking, keeping his gaze pointedly away from Takeru as he strode past him. “I…think we should catch up with the others.” And without another word, he broke out into a run, ignoring the single tear that slid down his pale face.

Takeru stared as he walked past, sighing heavily before moving to follow him. Worry curled in his stomach, frustration beginning to take root beside it.  

“Stupid…pigheaded…idiots,” he growled under his breath. “We all know something is wrong. It wouldn’t kill either of you to admit it.”

* * *

 “Why is it that whenever something is weird, it always leads us to a Koromon village?” Daisuke groaned, glancing around the small village. Standing beside him, Hikari giggled, lifting a hand to her mouth. The Koromon bounced around in greeting, crowding around their feet and filling the air with their loud voices. Daisuke sighed heavily, annoyance flicking across his face. One of his hands moved to lace through his hair, auburn spikes poking through the spaces between his fingers.

“It does seem to happen frequently. Maybe they just like the attention?” Hikari said, amusement high in her voice. Daisuke watched as she crouched down, her brown eyes warm and soft as she reached out to pet one of the digimon at her feet. A soft smile tugged at his lips as he watched her, stiffening when her eyes turned towards him. He looked away sharply, clearing his throat.

“Oh, yea…maybe.” Frowning, he scanned the surroundings, looking for anything unusual. His eyes immediately fall onto Ken, who was just wandering into the village with Takeru at his side. Their gazes met for a moment, the pain reflecting back at him making that hollow in his stomach ache fiercely. Ken’s eyes were red, the color bright in his pale features. Looking away, Daisuke smiled crookedly at Hikari. “Hey, would you mind talking to the Koromon about…whatever it is we’re looking for? I’m going to go…look around.” Hikari glanced up at him, her lip drawing down in a frown. Standing slowly, she nodded.

“I can do that. But Daisuke…” Daisuke shook his head to cut her off before she could continue, refusing to get into _that_ conversation again.

“Don’t worry about a thing. I’m just gonna go look around. Keep an eye on things for me, would ya?” Waving, he began to move deeper into the village, hands shoved into his pockets. Hikari could only stare, blinking in mild surprise, before sighing.  

“He refusing to talk too?” Takeru asked, taking Davis’ spot beside her. His arms crossed over his chest, he watched Davis leave, a flat scowl on his face. Glancing at him, Hikari sighed before nodding.

“Oh yea. Apparently neither of them want to say a word about what happened. They need to talk about it or nothing is going to change. Heaven forbid they need to use Jogress evolution…” Her eyes flicked back towards where Ken stood, watching as he conversed awkwardly with Iori. Sighing softly, she returned her gaze to Takeru. “Well…whatever… Have you found anything that kinda looks like what we’re looking for? Koushiro was a little vague.”

As if to answer her question, the ground shook violently beneath her feet, the hot blast of an explosion tearing through the area. Hikari’s arms lifted to cover her face, her eyes squeezing shut. Takeru grabbed her, pulling her close to shield her more. As everything slowly stilled, they untwined slowly, blinking dust from their eyes as they attempted to focus through the haze. Smoke billowed up from a building near the outskirts of the town, the black plume blocking the horizon from view. Coughing, Hikari turned towards the group. “Is everyone alright?!” she called out, her voice a little hoarse. She picked out the two forms of Ken and Iori, speckled with dirt and soot and staring in horror at something behind her.

Slowly, she turned her head, her hands dropping nerveless to her sides. The smoke was beginning to clear, a few shadows filtering through the fading haze. The color bled from her face, her lips parting in shock. She heard the distinct buzz of wings, matching the red eyes that glowed from behind the cloud. As she watched, another digimon dove and struck another of the village’s buildings, the wood splintering and scattering everywhere.

“Oh…this is not good…” she breathed.

* * *

 Daisuke kicked the dirt, grumbling quietly to himself. V-mon tailed him, uncharacteristically silent. Slumped, he stared at his feet, tracing the way the dirt caked into the well-worn shoes. Huffing, he tilted his head to look up at the sky, watching the trailing clouds as they streaked across the sky. “Stupid Hikari,” he muttered, frowning. “Stupid Taichi…Stupid _Ken_ …” V-mon tugged on the bottom of his shorts, bringing his gaze down to the digimon.

“Daisuke…” he started, eyes glimmering with worry. Daisuke shook his head, sighing softly.

“Don’t, V-mon. I’m fine.” V-mon’s hand dropped away from his clothes, the digimon continuing to stare at him.

“Alright. If you say so…”

Daisuke opened his mouth to speak when something rustled in the bushes nearby, his body tensing. His foot slid gently outwards, widening his stance in preparation for what might jump out at him. Golden eyes flick towards the bushes, scanning the greenery for something out of the ordinary. V-mon crept out in front of him protectively. A flash of light brown drew his eyes, a pair of green eyes staring back at him. He jumped back in shock, his eyes widening. Preparing to order V-mon to attack, a loud bang cut him off, the ground shaking and robbing him of his balance. Collapsing unceremoniously to the ground, his hands scrambled for purchase, the dirt scraping his palms. His eyes squeezed shut and his head ducked down a fraction too late, blocking out the dust that came billowing in his direction.

Behind him, the strange digimon escaped off in the opposite direction, its mission complete.

A hand coming over his mouth, Daisuke coughed, the sound harsh and grating against his throat. Blinking watery eyes in an attempt to clear them, he scanned the immediate area, his hand dropping back to the ground in shock. As he watched the smoke billow up, he stood and tore off towards where his team was, calling back towards V-mon as an afterthought. Dust coated his face, his skin clear only around his eyes, where damp tear tracks carved through the grime. He wiped angrily at his face, smudging the dirt over his gloved fingers.

He skidded to a stop when he heard the buzz of wings, wide eyes tilting up to watch an Okuwamon barrel into another of the Koromon Village’s buildings. The ground rumbled once more, the small house completely demolished. Gold eyes wide and horrified, he turned in the opposite direction, frozen in place as the image of several digimon stalking towards the small village registered in his mind. “Oh…shit…” he whispered, feeling his stomach hollowing with horror. “Shit, shit, shit!” His feet scraped the dirt as he scrambled off in the direction of his team once more, his chest heaving as the sounds of the approaching digimon thundered in his ears.

This was _so_ not good.

But it looks like they might have found the source of that stupid signal that Koushiro wanted them to look into.

Gasping for air, he slid to a stop in front of Hikari and Takeru, not even registering the surprise on their face. Pulling himself upright, he locked eyes with Ken, his expression grave, before looking towards the others. “We got several digimon heading towards here, all looking pissed. We gotta protect these Koromon and get them out of here and to the nearest safe place,” he yelled, his voice hoarse with all the dirt still lodged in his throat. His eyes sliding to Ken once more, he frowns. “Ken, jogress. _Now_.”

Ken flinched, his face paling beneath the dirt smudged across his skin. His grip tightening on Wormmon, his lips pressed together before he nodded. Daisuke held his eyes for a moment, studying him. Then, he looked towards V-mon and the glow of evolution bathed across the immediate area.

Well…this was going to be awkward.

* * *

 Ken stood off to the side, watching the battle rage around him. His hands were fisted at his sides, trembling slightly. His brow was creased with concentration, his lips a flat line that cut across his face. The ground was torn up, scattered remnants of buildings strewn around the huge holes carved into the earth. Battle cries and animalistic growls wove through the air, the grating noise setting the already frazzled Ken on edge. The atmosphere was hazy with dust, making it difficult to truly see anything. But Ken kept his eyes on the battle.

Iori and Takeru were tasked with evacuation of the Koromon, Angemon and Digmon serving as protection as they squirreled the small, frightened digimon off and into the protective forest. Ken could still hear their scared cries echoing through the forest, could hear their mourning as they watched their village morph into a battlefield. Sweat streaked down Takeru and Iori’s faces, carving pale lines through the dirt that was still caked on their features. But still they ran, working to save as many Koromon as possible.

Hikari and Miyako had taken to the skies, each mounted on their respective digimon as they wove around each other and their enemies to strike. Fierce determination shone in their eyes, Miyako’s teeth bared as she yelled each time she struck. Hikari’s hands were white as she gripped Nefeterimon, her eyebrows flattened over worried eyes. Both worked tirelessly, ignoring any strain as they held the attackers back. The attackers that just kept coming…and were far stronger than they should have been.

Which left him and Daisuke, who stood apart from one another, both of their expressions creased with strain. Paildramon, their designated ‘front line’ for this battle, going up against the Okuwamon that had started this whole thing. The jogress bond…normally wide open and full of life and emotions when active, was cinched shut and stretched taut and thin between them, existing only as a faint connection between their minds and souls. Ken wasn’t entirely sure if that was his doing or if it was Daisuke’s…but it made it increasingly difficult to maintain the evolution. Paildramon was already showing signs of weakness, tiring far easier than normal. Ken doubted they’d be able to evolve to Imperialdramon if the situation called for it.

Ken glanced at Daisuke, his lips pulled down into a tense frown. His jogress partner stood several feet away from him, his shoulders shaking as he pulled himself up to his full height. His bottom lip was tucked between his teeth, golden eyes glinting as he stared up at the battle raging above them. Dust muted the bright auburn of his spiked hair, matching the thin coating that covered the rest of him. His hands were fisted and held up, as if silently cheering their digimon on. But the skin around his eyes was lined with strain, his jaw visibly clenched as he struggled to keep their connection to maintain the evolution. Those eyes suddenly fell on him and Ken couldn’t tear his own away, drawn in by their bright intensity. But…he also saw something else in there. Sadness…? Hurt…? Ken dropped his gaze, his heart throbbing at the sight.

This, arguably, was Daisuke’s fault. If he hadn’t said…those things…during the get-together, none of this would have happened like this. He wasn’t even sure how Daisuke had found out. He thought he had hidden well…But Daisuke had found out anyway…about those feelings that he’d been harboring for a few months now. It had been in poor taste for Daisuke to _tease_ him like that in front of all of their friends, pouring Ken’s emotions out for everyone to see and mock. It had…hurt. Daisuke was his best friend…so why had he decided to do that…? It just didn’t make sense.

But even now, Ken couldn’t bring himself to be upset at Daisuke.

Stupid Daisuke…

A cry got his attention, pulling him from his thoughts and spiraling back into the battlefield. He looked up sharply to find Daisuke barreling towards him, panic written across his face. Ken only blinked at him, confused at such a reaction. Daisuke’s mouth moved, but Ken couldn’t make out what he was saying, the sounds of battle roaring in his ears. And as such, he could only stare as Daisuke ran towards him, oblivious to all else.

And then the bond shifted.

What was once closed off suddenly tore itself open, thoughts and emotions pouring out for both to feel. Ken’s eyes slowly widened, the weight that had settled on his chest since this had begun lifting as he _felt_ Daisuke again. His regret, his pain, his…love…? Ken’s mouth dropped open, his perspective shifting just like that.

Oh…

_Oh!_

Daisuke hadn’t been teasing him. He…The confession had been real… Daisuke really felt that way about him… And…and he’d been too oblivious to realize it. Daisuke wasn’t the stupid one… _He was_. Colors slowly bled back into the world, happiness building in him.

Daisuke loved him.

Daisuke loved _him_.

A weight slammed into him, knocking him straight off his feet. Something collided with the ground in front of them, the earth shaking violently with the force. His head slamming into the ground, his vision blacked out momentarily. When he came to, there was a stupid grin on his face, his thoughts swirling around his sudden realization. He blinked up at Daisuke, watching as eyes that had been squeezed shut slowly open. A faint, relieved smile flickered across Daisuke’s face, his arms shaking from their spots on each side of Ken.

“Are you alright?” he asked, a hint of something Ken couldn’t identify running under his tone.

“Daisuke…” Ken breathed, nodding silently. “I’m alright.” Daisuke’s eyes fluttered shut for a moment, his shoulders sagging.

“Good…” he breathed. “That’s…good…” One of Daisuke’s hands jumped to his mouth, his entire body shaking as he coughed. His eyes squeezed shut, his eyebrows pinching together. Something hard nudged against Ken’s side, but he paid it no mind, his eyes glued to Daisuke.

“Daisuke…?” A dark liquid dripped from between Daisuke’s fingers, spattering onto Ken’s cheek. A faint metallic tinge filled the air, growing stronger the more Daisuke coughed. Ken’s eyes widened, his breath freezing in his throat. As he gasped roughly for air, Daisuke’s hand fell away from his face, the cloth of his torn glove saturated with glimmering blood. His teeth were stained scarlet when Daisuke smiled wearily at him again, the color slowly beginning to drain from his face.

“I’m…really glad you’re alright…Ken…” Ken’s eyes frantically jumped around Daisuke’s body, searching for what could be wrong. At another nudge, Ken felt nausea churning in his stomach, horror filling him as his eyes finally landed on the problem. A wooden shaft, originating from one of the nearby buildings, had stabbed right through Daisuke’s side, its tip stained with blood. More dripped down the sides, collecting on the ground below. “Don’t…worry… It’s not…as bad as it looks…” Even as he spoke, Daisuke’s eyes fluttered shut, his body sagging atop Ken. Ken’s heart pounded frantically in his chest, his face cadaverous at the sickly warmth that was beginning to soak into his shirt.

No.

 ** _Nononononono_** …

“DAISUKEEE!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *giggles*


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the last chapter guys. Sorry for the delay. I got a nasty cold that kicked my butt, but thank you all for your patience!

Silence.

A tense silence stretched through a small corner of the hospital waiting room, broken only by the small clicks of shoes pacing the tile floor. The room was bathed in the dulled yellow of the halogen lights, the electric whine of the bulbs grating on ears frantically attuned to the spoken word. Chairs lined the walls, more collected in small lines near the room’s center. Magazines were stacked haphazardly on tables, their covers unwrinkled as they lay untouched. The waiting room was mostly empty, only a few stray people sitting hunched in a few chairs near the door. For this, Taichi was grateful, not exactly wanting his team to show their grieving, their fear, to the whole world.

Taichi leaned against one of the walls, his arms crossed tightly across his chest. Dark bags hung under exhausted eyes, his expression serious. His lips were pulled down into a tight frown, his face bleached white. Stray strands of hair stuck up at odd ends, the usual poof flattened and in disarray from the amount of times he’d run his fingers through it. Yamato stood at his side, his eyes closed as his foot twitched and tapped anxiously. He looked immaculate as always, though the downward turn of his mouth was far more pressed and shook with strain. But he was there, like he always was, for Taichi.

Sighing, Taichi’s eyes swept through the room, lingering on each and every one of the members of his little group. Pausing on Ken, his jaw clenched. Ken sat separated from the rest of them, his shoulders rounded and curled protectively around himself. One of his hands was fisted in his hair, a few long strands spilling out from between his fingers. His eyes were glued to the floor, dark blue irises fraught with pain and hollowed with horror. His other hand laid in his lap, his fingernails still caked with the blood that had all but covered him. He made no sound, but his lips moved continuously. Stray tears slipped down his pale face, his lips frayed and peppered with flecks of blood.

Nobody knew what to say to him.

Daisuke would. He always knew what to say to Ken.

But Daisuke was…

Taichi’s hand curled into a fist, tearing his eyes away from Ken. Dammit… It was all his fault…wasn’t it? He was the one to hand the mission off to Daisuke and his team. He had known that Daisuke was out of sorts liable to slip up, but he still gave them the mission. His eyes squeezed shut, sucking in a shuddering breath. He remembered the frantic email from his sister, telling him only that something had happened and that Daisuke was hurt and they were coming back _now_. He could still smell it, the blood that had pooled on the floor of the computer room. He could still see Daisuke, his skin practically translucent, limp on the floor, impaled by a wooden beam; he could see the horror and terror on the faces of his team (so young, so young…what have they done?). The group had decided against moving it, which had probably saved Daisuke’s life according to the nurse who had been walking in periodically to speak with them.

Oh God…Daisuke…

Taichi tilted his head down, his shoulders beginning to shake. Daisuke was his charge…Taichi protected him whenever he could…and yet…he had left him to die… A hand gently grabbed his bicep, long fingers curling comfortingly around it. His eyes drifted open and he smiled wearily at Yamato, ignoring the worried glint to those blue eyes. One of his hands slipped up to rest over Yamato’s, releasing a quiet sigh.

This was all they could do.

Wait…and worry…and hope for the best.

* * *

Takeru winced in sympathy as he listened to the retches echoing from within the bathroom he stood outside, flinching at each painful sound. His hand lifted and he knocked gently on the door, cringing at the heaving that followed the simple knock. “Hey…Hikari,” he called softly, his hand moving to rest on the doorknob. “Are you alright in there…? Would you like me to come in?” A cough answered him, tapering off into a set of broken sobs. Well…that answered his question at least… Turning the doorknob, he opened the door and slipped inside, taking care to lock the door behind him.

Hikari was hunched over the toilet, her hands white as she gripped its edge. Brown hair was still pinned back with her barrette, preventing it from falling into her face. Her small body shuddered violently, chills travelling up her spine. Tears spilled down her face, slipping down the bridge of her nose to drip off its tip. Her cheeks were flushed, a tint of pink to her otherwise pale face. Brown eyes flicked towards him, rimmed with red and dark with pain. Reaching out, she flushed the toilet before collapsing back, her legs splayed out from under her. Her hands, badly shaking, moved up to wipe at her eyes, her body hunching over as sobs escaped her.

Takeru knelt beside her, offering her a folded square of the paper towels by the sink. One of his hands rested on her back, stroking her spine comfortingly. She unconsciously leaned into him, her body pressed up against his side. Her hands remaining where they were, Takeru began to wipe gently at her face, cleaning her up. They sat in silence for a few minutes, no noise stretching between them aside from the soft hiccuping from Hikari.

“I…I was the last to talk to him…” Hikari whispered finally, her voice hoarse. Takeru merely hummed, his eyes following his own movements as he continued to clear the stray streaks of vomit from around her mouth. “He…he seemed so sad…so hurt…and I couldn’t do anything to help him…He…he probably hated me…for pushing him to talk… What if that’s the last thing I ever say to him…?” Takeru paused, looking up at Hikari’s eyes. They were wide and honest, tears trembling on the edges.

“That won’t be the last thing you say to him, Hikari,” he reassured, his eyes slipping down to her lips as he wiped at them.

“But…But Takeru…You…you saw… P-people don’t just…come back from stuff like that…” Takeru couldn’t help the image that flickered through his thoughts, of Daisuke sprawled over Ken, blood pooling beneath the both of them. He could still hear Ken’s panicked cries, tears pouring down his face as he begged Daisuke to wake up, to talk to him, please. Shaking his head, Takeru lowered the paper towel with a quiet sigh. He smiled gently at her, his hand moving from her back to cup her cheek.

“It’s Daisuke, Hikari. If anyone could come back from something like that, it would be Daisuke. You know that almost better than I do. If you have faith in him, Daisuke can beat all odds, regardless of how bad it looks.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb, wiping away the tears that continued to slip down her cheeks. Her lips trembled, fear still clouding her expression.

“But…Takeru…” Takeru tapped her nose gently, cutting her off. Blond strands of hair fell into his eyes, their blue bright and reassuring.

“But nothing. If we have faith in him, he will be alright. Come on, Hikari. You’ve always had faith in him before, what makes this any different?” Hikari looked down, her hands dropping into her lap to grip at the edges of her skirt.

“I…I’m scared, Takeru… There was so much blood… How is anyone supposed to come back from that?” Takeru’s smile was just as bright as that sparkle to his eyes, their combined warmth washing away that numbness that had wrapped around her since this had begun.

“He just will. Just have faith. Our Daisuke can get through anything and that will never ever change, Hikari.” Hikari studied his expression, the fear easing away from her face. Sighing, she fell forward into Takeru, burying her face into his chest.

“Okay. I’ll believe in him…” Takeru wrapped his arms around her slender frame, resting his cheek on the top of her head.

“Good… Cuz that’s all Daisuke would ask of you.”

* * *

A light was flickering, just by the door, bathing it in split seconds of darkness every few minutes. The group clustered in the corner didn’t even notice, too absorbed in their own thoughts. Nurses came in and left, sparing the group only a passing glance as they collected other people waiting for news on their friends and loved ones. And still time ticked on, seconds turning into minutes and minutes turning to slow passing hours.

And still there was no news.

The hope that had once given them strength was beginning to fade, a little more disappearing the more that door remained stubbornly shut.

Ken remained silent, his teeth closing around his lower lip. His eyes squeezed shut, trying to ignore the worried conversations being muttered around him, trying to ignore the endless tick of his thoughts trying to strangle him. His fingernails dug into his scalp, his hand tugging at the roots of his hair. Hot tears poured down his face, spattering onto the fabric of his pants. He could almost feel the stares being aimed at him, could almost feel their pity.

It was all his fault…All of it.

They shouldn’t pity him…They should hate him.

They should…

The door creaked open, just as the light flickered out once more. A nurse stepped through into the room, sending the light a mildly irritated glance before looking at their group, her expression impassive. Nobody breathed as she walked towards them, muscles bunching and tensing with each click her shoes made on the floor. She passed into the light of the room before stopping, her tired eyes scanning the group. Ken looked up slowly, his heart stuttering in his chest as he stared at the woman.

Sighing softly, a smile suddenly curved at her lips, giving them all a slight nod.

“He’s going to be alright,” she told them gently, clearly relieved herself at the news.

He’s going to be alright.

He’s going to be alright.

_Daisuke was going to be alright._

The words swirled around in Ken’s head, his heart beating back to life as his lungs swelled with air. His eyes remained locked on the older woman, his hand falling away from his hair. Noticing his gaze, she looked at him and smiled brightly as if to reaffirm what she had just told them. Breathing heavily, his eyes dropped to the floor, trying to regain use of his body.

He was going to be alright.

Ken’s lips twitched, a semblance of a smile spreading across his face. His hands shaking, he grabbed the edges of his chair, beginning to push himself out of it to stand. He wanted to know more. He wanted to be sure that he heard her right. His muscles throbbed, protesting moving after so long of being bunched up in this chair. Almost the moment he settled on his feet, he could feel the blood draining away from his head, his vision blacking out.

Over the concerned cries of his friends, only one thing remained clear.

He hadn’t killed him.

* * *

A quiet beeping filled the room, its constant presence comforting. The sounds of carts being rolled down the halls filtered slowly through the closed door, muted conversations drifting to the room’s occupants. Daisuke was laid in the sole bed in the room, connected to monitoring systems via the many wires and tubes threaded into him. His hospital gown was loose and open in the front, bearing the bandages that wrapped tightly around his torso. Auburn hair fanned out on the pillow without the restraint of his goggles, his head rolled limply to one side. Said goggles sat on the table to the side of the bed, the lenses reflecting the daylight streaming from the windows lining the room. His eyes closed, his face was unlined and peaceful even, despite the pallid tone to his skin.

Ken sat in the chair by the bed, his hands folded in his lap. A bandage was taped to his forehead, his hair catching on the edges of the cloth. The nurse had let him off with a warning to take it easy. Evidently, he’d been dehydrated and exhausted. It wasn’t as if he had the intention of moving now that he was allowed into the room. His hands twitched in his lap, his body trying to quell the urge to reach out and grab Daisuke’s hand, to brush some hair away from his face, to feel the warmth of his skin. But he behaved himself. After all, he didn’t deserve to touch him… Not when he was the root cause of everything that had happened.

Daisuke wouldn’t have run to protect him if he had been paying attention…if he hadn’t been so strung up by what happened. He should have spoken to Daisuke instead of running that day. Then…maybe none of this would have happened.

Or at least that’s what he told himself.

“You’re an idiot, you know that right?” a dry voice interjected into his thoughts, the piercing tone sparking recognition. Ken sighed softly, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. An annoyed huff reached him, stomping footsteps approaching the bed.

“I am well aware, Miyako,” Ken responded lightly, each word spoken slowly as if it took effort to form each one. His eyes opening, he looked up at the irate woman next to him, smiling crookedly at the furious eyes staring down at him. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her fingers tapping impatiently at her slender arms. Lavender hair spilled over her shoulder, pleated into a neat braid.

“Well, if you’re so aware of that, then why are you sitting here like someone hurt you instead of him? There’s two sides to this story, Ken. You are definitely not the only one at fault here…Though you do have quite a bit of the blame.” Ken’s shoulders slumped at the rant, feeling as if the breath was forced from his lungs at her little rant. His eyes dropped back to the bed, following the gentle rise and fall of Daisuke’s chest.

“Yea…I know that too…” Miyako sighed heavily, sitting down in the free chair beside the bed. One of her hands reached out to cover his own, her fingers curling around his clasped hands.

“Ken…I’m not saying that this is entirely your fault…cuz really, who would have thought something as stupid as this would have ended with Daisuke getting a house shoved through his stomach. But…a lot of what happened was caused by the fact that both of you were spineless idiots and refused to talk about what happened and just let everything get so much worse.” Ken lifted his eyes, a tight smile on his face.

“Miyako…you’re very blunt.” A blush tinted Miyako’s cheeks, her attention shifting away from Ken momentarily. Covering her mouth with her hand, she coughed lightly.

“Uh…thanks, I guess,” she muttered, lowering her hand to tug at the end of her braid. “But back to what we were talking about… Ken…do you understand how Daisuke feels now?” Ken nodded slowly, his hands tightening around each other. 

“I…do. He was being sincere. I…in my stupidity…thought he was teasing me…I thought he had found out about my developing feelings and decided to tease me about them… It was…a very stupid assumption to make,” Ken whispered, tears burning in his eyes once more. Shame sat like a rock in his stomach, mentally cursing his own stupidity for not recognizing what was right in front of him.

“Meh, not the stupidest assumption you could have made. You could have thought this idiot hated you. He did screw up by basically screaming it in front of everyone. I can’t say I blame…Wait what? Developing feelings?” Miyako backtracked quickly, her mouth dropping open in surprise. Ken laughed, the sound falling flat without actual amusement. Nodding once, his eyes dropped once more to the bed, a smile trembling at his lips.

“Yea. I honestly thought you knew, Miyako.” Miyako glanced between Daisuke and Ken, her mouth open. Confusion clouded her expression, her eyes wide.

“Wait…if you like him…and he likes you…Then WHY THE HELL ARE WE SITTING IN A FUCKING HOSPITAL? You two should have been making out in some weird corner of the digital world while the rest of us actually did the mission! Why are you such an IDIOT?!” A sheepish look flicked across Ken’s face, smiling nervously. He shifted in his seat, unable to meet Miyako’s eyes.

“I…got scared. Things like this don’t just happen to me…” Miyako’s expression softened, the fury leeching slowly from her features. Punching him lightly in the shoulder, she settled back into her seat, sighing softly.

“Don’t be stupid, Ken. You’re amazing and anybody would be lucky to have you. Daisuke’s your best friend and that will never change. His feelings…are genuine. He talked to me before he…screwed up like an idiot. He really likes you, Ken. He wants to be with you.” Her eyes sharpen and she turned to look at him again, frowning. “And…if you have any sense in that head of yours, you’ll tell him how you feel too.”

Ken blinked in surprise, allowing silence to fall between them when she finished. His lips twisted in thought, he studied his hands, his thoughts whirring quickly through his head. Miyako was right…Maybe he should just be honest with Daisuke. He’s…allowed to experience happiness too. The tension draining from his shoulders, Ken reached out slowly, his hand shaking a little, and slipped into Daisuke’s limp one, sucking in a breath at the feel of Daisuke’s skin against his own. His grip tightened, a faint smile spreading across his face.

“I…I…uh…Thanks, Miyako. I think I’m going to do that.” Laughing, Miyako stood, her shoulders cracking as she stretched. Reaching out, she ruffled Ken’s hair, being careful of the bandage on his forehead. Turning away, she began to walk back towards the door, pausing with her hand on the doorknob.

“Good. You should. Daisuke will make you happy…and I think you deserve to be happy, Ken.” Nodding at him, she walked out the door. Ken stared at where she had stood, a smile still present on his expression.

She did have a point. Miyako _was_ the love guru after all.

* * *

Daisuke woke slowly, as if in stages. At first, he didn’t even register being awake, surfacing just enough for the mumbled conversations swirling around him to filter through into his dreams. Then, other sensations began to flick back on. His body throbbed faintly, diluted by drugs if he were to guess. Light glowed through his closed eyelids, the sun warm on his skin. His hand tightened around another, feeling the other hand twitch in his own. A low groan rumbling from deep in his chest, his eyes began to flutter, struggling to crack open.

At the noise, a hush settled in the room. A shadow crossed over his form, someone touching his arm. Finally, his eyes blinked open, blearily gazing up at a blurred form hovering over him. “Daisuke?” the form called to him, their hand stroking gently at his arm. “Daisuke, can you hear me?” He blinked a few times, squinting up at the figure over him. He managed to clear his eyes enough to glimpse a pair of worried brown eyes on a face framed by soft brown hair, a smile twitching at his lips.

“Hikari…” he breathed, unable to speak louder than that. A smile spread slowly across her face, eyes sparkling with tears. Her hand tightened around his arm, her head bobbing in a quick nod. One of her hands lifting up to wipe at her eyes, she laughed quietly.

“Yes, I’m here… God…Daisuke, you scared all of us…” she whispered, a bright smile still lingering on her face, tinged with relief. He could see the dark bags hanging around her eyes, her skin blotchy and pale. His eyes hardening with worry, he studied her carefully, not entirely liking what he saw. Her hand tapped at his arm, bringing his attention back to her face. “Daisuke… Don’t worry. I’m alright. It’s you that you should be worried about.” Blinking, he glanced down, raising an eyebrow at the mess of bandages wrapped tightly around his torso. “Do…do you remember what happened?”

“I…There was a mission, right…? We were attacked…And…something was going after Ken…” He trailed off, the confusion slowly fading from his eyes as the moment where he’d tackled Ken vaguely flickered through his thoughts. That’s right…Ken… Hikari’s lips twitched with amusement, flicking towards something out of his view.

“He’s been really worried about you, Daisuke. He’s stayed by your side the whole time you’ve been sleeping.” Daisuke’s eyes widened, his mouth dropping open in surprise.

“He…he has?” Hikari nodded, her hand slipping down to squeeze his hand.

“He has. I think…you two need to talk.”

“He doesn’t want to talk to me. He’s made that clear…”

“Mmm, I wouldn’t be too sure about that.” Glancing at someone behind her, she nodded. “I think we’re going to go tell everyone that you’re awake. I’m glad you’re alright, Daisuke.” Smiling at him once more, she turned and walked away. A hand tightened around his, the bed shifting a little.

“Daisuke…Did you really think I hated you?” a familiar voice questioned, the words permeated with pain. Daisuke looked towards the sound, his eyes widening. Ken sat at his bedside, a bandage taped to his forehead. His hair, usually immaculate, was tousled and heavy with oil, hanging around a pallid, lined face. Bloodless lips hung open, cracked and frayed. The hand squeezed his again, drawing Daisuke’s eyes. He sucked in a breath when he saw Ken grasping his hand, their fingers twined together in a way that made his heart clench. “Daisuke…?”

“No…I hoped you didn’t anyway… But after I messed up like I did, I couldn’t be sure…It was stupid of me…I didn’t think before I spoke… I was just too excited, I guess,” Daisuke whispered, his hand twitching in Ken’s. His abdomen burned with pain, his entire body tense at the touch of Ken’s skin against his own.

“Too excited? About what?” Daisuke’s eyes dropped to the bedsheets, a blush darkening his face.

“I was excited at the thought that maybe…you liked me back… But I shouldn’t have yelled it front of everyone and put you on the spot like that. I made a fool of myself and hurt you. And I’m sorry. Could you ever forgive me?” Ken stared at him, a smile tugging at his lips. Leaning forward, he moved until his head hovered over Daisuke’s, his heart pounding in his chest.

“You’re so honest, Daisuke…” Swallowing harshly, he darted forward before he lost his nerve, pressing his lips gently to Daisuke’s. When he pulled away, wide eyes studied Daisuke’s face, nearly laughing at the confusion building in his amber eyes. Daisuke blinked a few times, his mouth opening and closing as his brain practically short-circuited. The memory of Ken’s lips on his made warmth spread throughout his body, his tongue darting out to wet his lips, nearly shivering when he tasted Ken there too.

“I…I am very confused right now…” Ken laughed, the sound bordering on hysteria, and leaned further back into his seat. His grip remained tight around Daisuke’s hand, a smile nearly splitting his face. He hadn’t been rejected.

“Daisuke…When I ran before, I ran because I thought that you had learned about how I felt about you…and for some reason thought you were teasing me about that. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever consider that…you felt the same way that I did.” He laughed a little bitterly, his head bowing forward as he lifted their intertwined hands and kissed Daisuke’s hand. “God, Daisuke…how could I ever doubt you like that…? You…you threw yourself in front of an explosion to save me…You let yourself get stabbed by a wooden beam so that I would be unharmed… How could I be so stupid?”

Daisuke pulled his hand away from Ken’s and tapped Ken’s forehead, laughing a little himself at the startled look he received in return. “Ken, you’ve always been a little oblivious when it comes to emotions. But no, I don’t throw myself in front of exploding houses for just anyone. But I’d do it for you again and again if it meant keeping you safe.” He paused, his fingertips brushing against Ken’s cheek tenderly. “Ken…I love you. No number of stupid misunderstandings are going to make me stop loving you.” The smile that spread across Ken’s face was blinding, his face practically glowing.

“I…I love you too, Daisuke.” Grinning, Daisuke’s hand dropped to Ken’s wrist, weakly tugging Ken towards him. Ken squawked, his eyes widening in shock and a flush dusting across his face. Daisuke merely laughed, his remaining as tight as he could manage.

“Good. Now that that’s been cleared up…Get over here. I think getting stabbed by a fucking house entitles me to some serious kissing time.” Ken obeyed, his cheeks burning a bright red. But he still smiled, a bright sparkle to his blue eyes.

“You’re so shameless, Daisuke,” he admonished teasingly. Daisuke’s eyes narrowed, a mischievous glint to his eyes.

“And what are you going to do about that?”

“Oh, I think I can think of a few things.”

And Ken kissed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's that! This entire fic is so teen in its nature that it's kinda hilarious. This chapter got away from me in sooo many places. Oops? I hope you guys enjoyed though! 
> 
> Till next time <3


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